Fade
by StriderAndVargas
Summary: Drabble of the Day #4 is... *surprise* more emotions. Homestuck's comic is over, and he's fading fast.


**AN: Well I guess here's another thing. I apologize for so many upsetting fics in a row, but my next couple should be smutty/funny/not horribly sad jeez. My friend requested I post this one here so I did. Thank all of you who favorited or commented on my other stories, that shit makes my day. Anyways, this fic would take place some time after Homestuck's webcomic ends, which is supposed to be before 4/13 next year from what I heard, I used that presumption to assume that he'd probably fade first. Sorry for this longass note. Presenting: Drabble of the Day #4, Fade!**

"So how long do we have?"

"'Probably another few hours at the latest." His gaze fell to the carpet.

"How's it gonna happen? Just, one second you're here, the next you're not?" Silence fell heavy over them. One heartbeat, two heartbeats, breathe. Hetalia returned his gaze to Homestuck, obsidian eyes that never seemed to crack, and when they did those eyes heated up with a fire that could scald you with a single glare. Hetalia had feared him when he was like that, all harsh words and loud volumes. Other nights that eternal flame dulled under the influence, and even from the next room over he could hear broken slurs. He'd only dared attempt to comfort him once, and it had resulted in a black eye he'd had to conceal for weeks. Now however, as those eyes met his they broke in a different way. Cracked.

"I DON'T FUCKING KNOW!" The words were punctuated by a sob, watercolor tears streaking grey canvas cheeks. A moment passed between the two, the only sound being Homestuck trying to regain his composure and face Hetalia once more.

"How am I supposed to know? What if it hurts? What if it takes a long time? I just... don't know." Pale arms found themselves at his waist, and Hetalia was squeezing him like he was the one thing that would keep him alive. Another long moment was spent like that, his face buried in Homestuck's sweatshirt as he forced back tears. He couldn't cry. It was their last night together and that would be wrong, wrong, wrong. Instead he kept those feelings bottled up, the cork holding them in immovable.

"It'll be okay." He hadn't realized his internal mantra had become verbal until Homestuck pulled off him to stand. Nearly soundless steps rang like gunshot in his ears as the dying fandom padded across the room, flicked on the stereo, and glided back over. He held out a hand.

"'Talia, get up." His confusion dissipated as the slightly tinny notes floated through the speakers, softly but clearly.

"Come with me, my love."

Upon taking his boyfriend's hand, Hetalia was pulled into a standing position against him.

"You're gonna be fine." An almost inaudible whisper in his ear. It was selfish, he wasn't the one dying after all, but that was thing he feared most. The last thing he wanted was to be alone.

"To the sea. The sea of love."

Before either knew it, Hetalia's arms rested at Homestuck's shoulders, and grey hands found themselves at his hips. The song played on as Hetalia buried his face in Homestuck's shirt, silvery words caging the two of them, swaying wordlessly. Back and forth, back and forth.

"Do you remember when we met? That's the day I knew."

His thoughts however, wandered far outside their little bubble. Memories flooded in from all sides, making it much harder to keep tears at bay.

The day they had met, the bud for an inky relationship already planted. One that would later blossom before a swift death at the hands of something else. Pale feelings had pulled them even closer after about 3 months, that darkness turning to purity, hatred into friendship. Platonic soulmates, is what they were sure of. They'd be best friends, closer than any two friends could possibly be. Paler than anyone could be. That of course was until that pink darkened, slowly but surely. The hue of a relationship that was sure to stay pale seemed to take on a color like red satin. Satin like sheets they'd ruined all too many times to dimly lit nights where the room seemed to echo with even the tiniest sound. Now that same room was silent, save for the lone delicate voice in a sea of words trapped behind sealed lips.

"I wanna tell you,"

He was snapped back to the present day by more soft words against the top of his head.

"Remember when I showed you this song?" He nodded lightly.

"And I was practically traumatized. Then I showed it to you and your only comment was "the song's cute"." He nodded again.

"That was some trivial shit. Back when we were 'rails and thought we had it all figured out." He let out a humorless laugh.

"Yet here we are, and the same song's playing." It was becoming almost impossible to hold in his tears now, and the dam broke. He'd soaked Homestuck's shirt in a matter of minutes, guttural sobs smashing the silence like a stone to a window.

"Y-YOU CAN'T GO! YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T, YOU CAN'T." His voice didn't sound like it even belonged to him, like there was some disembodied mind, or any mind that could possibly understand how absolutely horrible all of this was. Homestuck would simply cease to exist, and Hetalia would be left alone. It was wrong. This couldn't happen. This shouldn't happen. If there was any sort of merciful lord above, this wouldn't happen. He pulled away for a moment to wipe the wetness from his eyes and cheeks.

"You have to stay here. With me." The words came between hiccups and gasps for breath. He took a moment to gain his bearings and it was then that he looked up at his boyfriend for the first time in what seemed like forever. Homestuck was fading fast, the green tint leaving his cheeks, and he could almost see him grow translucent. Those hands gripped his shoulders.

"It'll be okay. I'm never gonna leave you completely, and I'd swear on my fading life that that's the truth." Emerald eyes met obsidian ones for a long moment.

"I'm not ready for you to go yet."

"How much,"

Instead of a reply, Homestuck pulled him in for a kiss. It wasn't like the ones they'd shared in the past, as kisses like those were hungry and never got full. Those ones were for those dim nights, or randomly against countertops. The ones where hair is tugged at and followed by ones left on necks and stomachs. This kiss was much more reserved, in a manner of speaking. As that translucency grew to transparency they both pulled away to take a breath. Tears began to well in Hetalia's eyes again, though he swiped them away with the back of his hand as the song seemed to be coming to it's close.

"If there's any possible way-"

"No. You're not pulling out the necromancy books. You're not going to try, and you have to promise me that."

"But it could-"

"It's wrong." Hetalia finally let out a defeated sigh.

"So this is really it."

"Yup. But like I said, even if I'm completely faded, I'm gonna be sticking around you whether you like it or not." This caused him to crack a smile, even though he didn't know that was possible at this point. He drew closer again, arms flung around the back of Homestuck's neck. He was practically gone by now, transparency even slipping from him as grey skin and black hair and little orange horns disappeared bit by bit. Before he finally faded, wrapped in those leather clad arms he spoke.

"Just remember. I love you so much. Don't ever forget that. And I'll never stop loving you, even after the end and longer than that."

And with a final peck to the forehead, he was dead.

"I love you."


End file.
